GANNAWARRA PLANNING SCHEME 21 MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC STATEMENT 14/09/2006 C9 The Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS) outlines the land use planning directions for the Gannawarra Shire. The MSS is presented in the planning scheme as part of the Gannawarra Local Planning Policy Framework. The inclusion of the MSS in the planning scheme means that it can be implemented by decisions made in the administration of the planning scheme. The MSS provides strategic justification for zones, overlays, local policies and controls contained in the planning scheme. The MSS is derived from the Gannawarra Strategic and Planning Scheme Review project that commenced in September 1995. This Review was supported by several important strategy documents that dealt with a range of concerns including salinity, catchment management, water quality, flooding, rural land use, economic development and tourism. The Review included the development of an Integrated Strategy Plan (ISP) that established a framework for making decisions about the future use and development of land. This ISP formed the basis of the MSS in the new format planning scheme. The MSS is an important component of the Gannawarra Shire Council Plan. It assists in the achievement of the Corporate Plans goals, strategies and action plans, especially in relation to Environmental, Planning and Regulatory Services. The MSS is a forward looking document with a 10 to 15 year timeframe. The MSS will be reviewed every 3 years. 21.01 MUNICIPAL PROFILE 14/09/2006 C9 Gannawarra Shire was created in January 1995 and comprises the former Borough of Kerang and former Shire of Kerang, excluding the Tresco area, and former Shire of Cohuna excluding the Gunbower area. Gannawarra Shire covers an area of 3732sqkm and is located on the Murray River in northern Victoria, approximately 3 hours drive from Melbourne. Swan Hill is located 35 minutes drive north from Kerang, Bendigo is 1.5 hours to the south and Echuca is 1 hour to the south east. Historically the area was occupied by Koori people more than 40,000 years ago. Gannawarra means Black Swan in the Koori language. White settlement began with graziers taking up leases on the Murray and around the Lakes. The building of the railways, the thriving river trade, land selections, irrigation development and soldier settlement all contributed to the development of the Shire and to the existing pattern of rural and urban land use activities. Regionally, Gannawarra is part of wide area centred on the Murray River environs and therefore part of the Murray Darling Basin as administered by the Murray Darling Basin Commission. North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) in partnership with local councils and water authorities are the authorities responsible for the natural resource management (NRM) of the Basin. The Regional Catchment Strategy (RCS) is the key NRM document for the North Central region and is administered by the North Central CMA. The RCS provides a vision for the future landscape of the North Central region and the management of its natural resources. The Shire's population was 11,394 in 2001. This represents an 8.5% population decrease or an annual average population decline of 0.9% since 1991. The Shire’s projected population for the year 2011 is 11,178 and for the year 2021 is 10,668 (Department of Sustainability and Environment). This represents a continuing trend of population decline and is due to projected lower household sizes and the ageing of the population. It is projected that about 300 new dwellings will be constructed over the fifteen year period. Significantly the age structure is expected to show a change from 31.2% aged over 60 in 1996 to 40.9% in 2011. The bulk of the population is located in Kerang (3719 in 2001) and Cohuna (1956) adjacent MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC STATEMENT - CLAUSE 21.01 PAGE 1 OF 3 GANNAWARRA PLANNING SCHEME to the Gunbower State Forest on the Murray River. The other primary population centres are Koondrook (666), Leitchville (297) and Quambatook (242). Importantly Koondrook, located on the Murray River, has a significant relationship with Barham in NSW and is the only population centre experiencing positive population growth. There are 4514 (43%) residents living in non-urban areas of the Shire. The Shire’s economic base is centred on the agricultural industry, value added processing industries, small scale manufacturing industries, retailing and tourism. The Shire has two distinct agricultural areas, irrigated and broad acre farming areas. Its agricultural industry is very productive with a diverse range of agricultural activities including cropping, dairying, grazing, horticulture and viticulture. Agricultural diversity is made possible by access to water from the Murray River. The Murray Goulburn cheese factory at Leitchville is the Shire’s major industry. There are opportunities for the establishment of other industries that add value to primary produce. There is need to protect and encourage mineral exploration and mining in accordance with acceptable environmental standards and sustainable development. The natural landscape of the Shire is characterised by the openness of irrigated and dryland farming areas. Areas of high landscape quality are generally found along vegetated streams and waterways, the Kerang lakes area, Gunbower State Forest, the Murray River environs and other state parks and reserves. The wetlands in the Kerang Lakes Area and Gunbower Forest are listed under the International Convention on Wetlands (the ‘RAMSAR’ convention) and are of national and international significance for migratory birds. These areas have significant conservation value for native flora and fauna, provide for a range of ecosystem services including maintenance or improvement of water quality and provision of habitat and have significant cultural and recreational value for the local community. The Shire is located on the alluvial plains of three major rivers, the Murray, Loddon, and Avoca. Each of the rivers has a natural tendency to spread floodwaters over a wide area of the floodplain. The lower water quality in these streams, within the Shire boundary, mirrors the impacts of historical land and water management practices of the respective upper catchment areas. Waterways also receive pollutants from within the Shire. Correcting land and water management practices to improve the quality of the environment, including stream water quality, is a key element of this strategy. The remnant native vegetation of the shire provides many (often unrecognised) ‘ecosystem’ services, including clear air and water and is a fundamental resource necessary for the survival of our unique flora and fauna. The Shire contains remnant vegetation of significance on both private and public land, including grassland communities, Black box grassy woodlands, Buloke grassy woodlands, River Red Gum forests and various shrublands. The Shire also contains many rare and threatened fauna species, some of which are listed under Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988, such as the Plains-wanderer, Barking Owl, Grey-crowned Babbler and the Carpet Python. The fragmentation of remnant vegetation continues to threaten ecosystem functions and services. Tourism in the Shire is based on natural and cultural tourism attractions, which includes the Murray River and numerous lakes and wetlands and their associated uses (fishing, shooting, camping), Koori sites associated with the water features and the historical context associated with the European settlement, agricultural development and commercial transport. Maintaining and improving the level of services in the Shire’s towns and rural communities is an ongoing issue. Community consultation has identified a need to retain and improve the level of education and health services and transport links between towns. The existing rail links are viewed as a service that is vital to the future of the Shire community. Gannawarra Shire, like other inland rural communities, is experiencing declining numbers and proportions of younger people. Young people will continue to be enticed to regional and metropolitan centres for employment and education. The community, working together with all levels of government, has a responsibility to ensure that adequate education, social, cultural and other support services are available for younger people. MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC STATEMENT - CLAUSE 21.01 PAGE 2 OF 3 GANNAWARRA PLANNING SCHEME Many of the strategic issues and policies contained in the MSS have regional implications. It is important that regional consistency is achieved in policy and statutory approaches to land use planning, especially in relation to the management of natural resources. Adjoining municipal councils (Campaspe, Swan Hill, Buloke and Loddon) have undertaken planning strategies and planning scheme reviews. Region-wide consistency will be achieved and implemented through the ongoing review process for each municipal planning scheme. The review process provides an opportunity to revisit the effectiveness of the MSS content and how its function assist in the achievement of regional targets in relation to the management of our natural resources, sustainable agricultural and town development and culture and tourism development. Gannawarra Shire Council is a partner in regional development. Council promotes sustainable development and tourism at the regional level through participation with local and regional organisations such as the Golden Rivers Tourism Board, Area Consultative Committees and Regional Development Victoria. Council supports the initiatives of the Loddon Murray Land and Water Management Plans in the development of action plans addressing economic development, structural adjustment and natural resource management. MUNICIPAL STRATEGIC STATEMENT - CLAUSE 21.01 PAGE 3 OF 3 .